Chapter 6: The Mysterious Ritual

I glance at my wrist watch and it's already six pm. It took us almost three hours going back home. Daddy and Michelle went inside together, leaving me on the backseat.

I closed my eyes and I was startled when Zhizy appeared. I'm not sure if it's Zhizy but it sounds the same, anyway.

"Fuck! What are you doing here, Zhizy?" I raised my eyebrows at her and she just pouted. "Zhoe not Zhizy!" She stamped her feet and stared at me.

"Fine! What do you want from me? Faster, I'm busy!" I told her, standing before her. I think she's only 5'5 or 5'8, because she's lifting her head up just to look at me.

Zhoe smiled genuinely and said, "Can we sit first? I'm tired waiting for you."

"What? You're waiting for me here?" I ask bemused and surprised. Why the hell would she wait for me, she's a stranger for heaven's sake!

"I have something to tell you, it's very important, Mr. Kurtney." She became serious, like she's really up into something important. "Tell me now!" I said, almost ready to walk way from her.

"Can we please, sit there for awhile? My right foot is in pain, can't you see it?" Zhoe showed her right foot and its look reddish and swollen. I felt guilty so I shook my head and she whispered something to herself.

We walked closer to the old tree, and she immediately seated on the swing. Well, I don't have plans to sit beside her, never. "You're not going to sit?" She asked me, holding the ropes. "Yeah, just tell me now, Zhoe." I replied.

She nodded and the smile on her lips, slowly faded. Zhoe turned her head at our house, at my window's room, to be exact. She sighed deeply, I felt like Zhoe is afraid. "There's someone in your house that you can't see." She told me straight out, looking at me relentlessly.

I step backwards and wagged my hands, in disbelief.  "Please, I don't have time for lies! For shit things like that!" I told her. Zhoe stood up and faced me, "I'm telling you the truth, because I'm here the whole time, until now! You moved into your Mother's house after your nineth birthday! Don't you recognize me, Eight?" Zhoe covered her mouth and realization hit me.

Eight! Eight! I remembered her, the girl who kissed me during my nineth birthday. "Six? You're six? Right?" I asked her confusedly. I used to call her "six" because she can't utter the next number which is seven. She would count one to five. Six would call me "eight" because I always jumped on from number six to eight, without saying first number seven.

Zhoe run to my arms and cried on my chest. I didn't recognized her, she changed a lot but she is still, beautiful. "Please, believe in me Jamie. You're not living alone." Zhoe wiped her wet face and looked away.

How can she prove that it's true? I remained quiet and firm when Daddy call me. "I'm going Jamie! Take care of yourself and always pray." Zhoe said, walking away from me. I looked at her back until she get into her house, safe and sound.

For the very first time, I became curious about Grandma's house. Before, going back inside, I looked up at my window and I saw someone, looking at me too.

**

The night was cold and I saw the moon at the window. It's full moon, and it looks amazingly done. I love watching it with the stars, I used to, but now, I lost my interest in everything. Even playing guitar, I quit it.

When I moved in with this house, I felt so lost. I feel like doing nothing and stay the whole day at my room. I felt so alone, all of a sudden. I came back to my senses when the pork fell into the floor. I look at them and Daddy noticed it. "What's wrong, Jamie?" He asked, putting some pork on his plate. "Nothing. I just... I just miss our house. I miss Mom, everything!" I emphasize the last sentence and looked at Michelle's reaction.

She looked away and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Excuse me, gentlemen." She stood up and went to the comfort room. I just stare at my food when Daddy call me by name."Jamie." His voice became serious. I lift up my head and raised my eyebrows at him, "I... I don't know Dad! I'm not happy living in this place, with you. I want a warm place that I can stay with.  I want to be surrounded by people, my home!"

This is what I'm wanted to tell him, since the day he hurt Mom and me. He's too selfish! He messed everyone around him that easily.

"You don't have a choice, Jamie! For pete's sake, I'm just concerned with your future! If I let you live with your jobless mother, can you still be in college, huh?" He's angry now and really, he's concerned with my future?

I laugh bitterly at him and said, "My future. What a big words, from you!" I pointed my index finger at him and I can't control my anger anymore. He's too much. He didn't asks me first if I really want to leave Mom and live in hell! "Your future, and your selfish ambition Dad! It is what really matters to you."

"You don't understand!"

"You're the one who can't understand!" I screamed out of my anger and frustration. He looked so surprised, for the first time I raised my voice at him. "You're not my son. You're not Jamie! The kind, respectful and adorable Jamie, the old Jamie!" Daddy told me like I'm an intruder in this house.

He's even asking me why I've changed, why I'm acting aggressive now. "You don't know the pain I felt, Dad! You hurt Mom, you even chose Michelle than my mother! That's exactly absurd! But, I'm still hoping that you and Mom will reconcile for me. And if you do, I'll be the happiest person in the world and your old son, Jamie, will be in your arms, again."

I stood up and leave Dad at the dinning table. As I walked toward upstairs, I saw Michelle at the countertop, eavesdropping and crying. She looked at my direction but I glared at her, sharply and deadly.

I get my phone from the drawer and jumped on my bed.

20 New Message.

I opened my discord account and Sabrina is not yet active. "Fuck!" I uttered, I need someone now. I need Sabrina. My phone vibrated and Mr. Death has a new message.

"Mr. Death: Did you ever heard about warlock? In the Philippines, they called it, "mambabarang." Active now. Seen by 100+ people.

"Chuckie replied: Yes! They usually used a doll or anything that looks like a human." Typing...

"Bloodxsucker: And then, what?"

"Mr. Death replied to Chuckie: You're right. They will use such doll and needles to punish everyone who hurt them or someone they want to play with." Typing...

I don't know, but I'm keep on reading their conversation. A doll and needles? It's unbelievable!

"Annabelle: Is that true? Do they perform a ceremonial ritual or a latin oration before pricking the doll with the use of neddles?" Medusa and 50 others reacted.

Chuckie, Mr. Death and Zombie is typing...

"Mr. Death replied to Annabelle: Yes. Most of them do a latin oration, a doll, needles, black candles, but most of the time, warlock possess, black magic."

Black magic? A latin oration?

"Zombie replied to Annabelle: Yes, you need to set up everything. Doll, needles, black candles. And then, you need to say the latin oration and the name of the person you want to punish, and before pricking the doll with neddles. You can say what ever you want to happen with that person, but you need to remember this, one of the warlock died because of the black magic he/she possessed."

"Purge.ds: You mean, even if you possessed a black magic, it's possible that it will betray you?"

Black magic can kill anyone? Why? How?

"Mr. Death: There's someone ruling behind the mysterious ritual. If you can't control the black magic within you, Death will get your spirit and you will be living in the world of magic, forever." Seen by everyone.

I'm confused. Does it mean that "Barang" is one of the mysterious ritual in the Philippines and if you can't do the ceremonial ritual, Death that ruled black magic will get your spirit away, and put it in the world of magic? It's interesting now.

"Vladimir replied to Annabelle: Where is the latin oration that warlock usually used?"

This is what I'm curious about, this mysterious ritual with the help of latin oration.

"Medusa: There's no specific latin words for this, most of the warlock kept it on their own because most of the "latin oration" are powerful. It can make a person insane and it's cause hallucinations." Mr. Death reacted.

"Sabby replied Medusa: You're right. Black magic, ceremonial rituals are all true."

Don't tell me it's Sabrina, my girlfriend. I'm tensed and surprised so I message Sabrina quickly.

"Hey!" She's active now but she's not reading my message.

I felt it. I know that it's Sabrina. Why the hell, out of nowhere, we both added in the group chat? We don't even know them!

I've waited her for thirty minutes but still, she didn't respond. I looked up at the ceiling and closed my eyes. My life became so boring. My life became colorless and dull. My life became miserable but still, I'm praying that someone will gonna save me, from solitary and this agony inside me.

Something came out from my mind and I remember the ritual thingy. I stood up, thinking where I can get everything that I need. My boredom leads me to try and imitate the mysterious ritual.

I remembered Grandma's room and I went outside and checked if Dad and Michelle are already asleep peacefully. "This is awesome!" I uttered, walking toward Grandma's room with a flashlight.

Let's find out what will happen, after I do the ritual alone, at exactly 12 pm, tonight.